Figure 8.--This unidentifed boy wears a long pants sack suit. Note the high lapel cut on the suit. The boy looks to be about 10-years old. The CDV portrait was taken by A.M. Adams in Decorah, Iowa during 1877.

American boys for the most part still wore long pants during the 1870s. Long pants suits were the most common type od trouser for boys. This include boh suit pants and pants in general. The great proprtion of the 1870s portraits show boys wearing long pants suits. And this includes many younger boys. Gradually we see shortenened-length pants beginning to increase in popularity for younger boys, especially by the end of the decade. Even so, we mostly see boys wearing long pants suits in the 1870s. Shortend-length pants were more common than in the 1860s, but were still not the standard boy's wear. About age 8 years was the cut off for shortened-length pants and we do not see boys older than 10 years wearing them in the 1870s. And there were significant demographic trends. Almost all boys in rural areas wore long pants suits, although some yonger boys might wear hand-me-downs that did not quite fit. The shotened-length pants were mostly seen with fashionable families in the cities, especially the big cities. We see boys wearing long pants with several diffrent suit types. The cut-away jacket suits wre the nostcommon style for youngr boys, but declimed in popularity during the decade. The military-style collar buttoning jacket that werre so popular at mid-century were no longer commonly seen. Three-piece suits with vests were common. While most boys continued wearing long pants, the shortened-length pants were no longer worn just with cut-away jackets. Quite a few family portraits show all the boys in long pants suits, often all lapel sack suits.

Prevalence

American boys for the most part wore long pants during the 19th century. This began at the turn-of-the 19th century when aduktmen were still wearing knee breches. Only at mid-century do we begin to see shortened-length pants, but only very young boys wore them. At first mostly pre-school boys. It was a fashion at first appeared in Europe. At the time Ameican fashions were adoptions of Euroopean fasgions. This was true for both childres and adult clothing, alhough in the early-19th century the vast majority of Americans lived in rural areas and were only marginally in the monied economy. This had hugely changed by the 1870s. America became the most heavily indutrialized country on earth, although most of the population still lived in rural areas. The urban oopulation was rapidly growing and ost of America's makor cities had appeared, although many were not yet major cities. Shortenened length pants were becomiong more important, but mostly for boys in the younger primary yeasrs. And this was almost entirely city boys. Shortened-lenhth paants were much less common in rural areas. Thus thus most boys still wore long pants during the 1870s. Long pants were the most common type of trouser for boys' suits. This include boh suit pants and pants in general. The photographic record substantiates this and thanks to albumen photography (CDVs asnd cabinet cards), beginning in thec 1879sx we have a huge photograophic record to help assess fadion trends. The great proprtion of the 1870s studio portraits we have found show boys over about 8 years of age or so wearing long pants suits. The problem is that the vast majority of the photographs are studio portraits. There are relatively few photographs taken outdide the stufio. WEe have some illustrations. A good example is a snowball fight depicgted in (January 1874). We also have mailorder catalogs and school photography to go on.

Age

The high prevalence of boys wearing long pants still includes many younger boys, especially early in the decade. This varied from family to family. he mothe's fashion ence was a primary factor. We see school age boys of all ages wearing long pants. Although we begin to see some of the youngr boys wearing shoetened length pants. Gradually we see shortenened-length pants beginning to increase in popularity for younger boys, especially by the end of the decade. Even so, we mostly see boys wearing long pants suits in the 1870s. Shortend-length pants were more common than in the 1860s, but were still not standard boy's wear although by the end of the decade they had become very common for younger boys. About age 8 years was the cut off for shortened-length pants and we do not see boys older than 10 years wearing them in the 1870s. This means that teenagers and most pre-teens wore long pants. The boy here looks to be about 10-years ol and is a good example. We hope to compile a mote definitive assessment of age trends as we expand our American archive. Often ages have to be estimated as they are commonly not noted. We invite readers to let us know if you think that our age estimates are off. We hope to eventually fill in all the different ages. Here the photographic record is our best source. We do not see many store catlogs yet that can provide useful sizing information.

Demographic Trends

There were significant demographic trends concerning the type od pants worn bu boys. lmost all boys in rural areas wore long pants suits, although some yonger boys might wear hand-me-downs that did not quite fit. The shotened-length pants were mostly seen with fashionable families in the cities, especially the big cities.

Suit Types

We see boys wearing long pants with several diffrent suit types. The cut-away jacket suits wre the nostcommon style for youngr boys, but declimed in popularity during the decade. The military-style collar buttoning jacket that werre so popular at mid-century were no longer commonly seen. Three-piece suits with vests were common. While most boys continued wearing long pants, the shortened-length pants were no longer worn just with cut-away jackets. Quite a few family portraits show all the boys in long pants suits, often all lapel sack suits.

Created: 2:09 AM 2/19/2010
Last updated: 11:46 PM 6/28/2023